


Gemma, the Huntress

by ToughAqua777



Category: Dragon Quest Series, Dragon Quest XI
Genre: Adventure, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Best Friends, Canonical Character Death, Childhood Friends, Don't copy to another site, Dragon Quest XI Act II, Dragon Quest XI Act II Spoilers, Dragon Quest XI Spoilers, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Hero | Luminary is Named Eleven | El (Dragon Quest XI), Multi, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Self Confidence Issues, Self-Doubt, Self-Esteem Issues, Self-Hatred, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-16
Updated: 2020-05-19
Packaged: 2020-09-02 09:11:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 9
Words: 10,331
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20273497
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ToughAqua777/pseuds/ToughAqua777
Summary: Gemma found the view up on the Tor wonderful. She could only dream of venturing out to see the sights. She didn't imagine she would visit them during the end of the world. Not that she cared. Fighting monsters constantly while searching for a supposedly dead friend makes you numb after a while.None of that mattered, though. What mattered was finding him.But if--whenshe does...what then?NOTE: ON INDEFINITE HIATUS





	1. Remember

**Author's Note:**

> I...REALLY wish more was done with Gemma, I really do. But if they won't, I'll do it myself.  
BTW, don't expect me to update this fic too often, especially with college classes coming up. I'll update when I'm able to, physically and mentally. Anyways, I really hope you enjoy my different take on Gemma's character!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reflecting back on the past should be at least a little bit nice, right? Well, not this time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter will likely be the shortest in the fic, until otherwise stated.

"Well be waiting for you."

That was the last time we spoke, wasn't it?

It marked a lot of last times. The last time we saw each other, the last time we'd be together, the last time we heard each other's voice.

Had I known, I wouldn't have said anything. Heck, I probably would've prevented 'im from leaving Cobblestone at all.

But I didn't know.

An' now here I am, helpless in what's left of Cobblestone--no, the Last Bastion--with the sky dyed in darkness, with Heliodor knights and their king. They said to trust them, saying they'll protect us.

But I can't trust them.

How can I? They destroyed everything we had, everything we held dear. An' they fully intended to kill us. An' had it not been for the knight in black armor, we _would've_ died. Instead, we were locked away. Locked away for being connected to the "Darkspawn," the harbinger of destruction.

They were talking about the Luminary. They were talking about _Eleven._

I remember screaming that he did nothing wrong. I remember rattling the bars whenever I could. I remember never cooperating with their interrogations. I remember going for days on end without food for disobeying.

So no. I will _never_ trust Heliodor.

But now, I can't even trust my own townsfolk.

I remember how some muttered hatred towards my friend. I remember how some of them screamed at me for siding with 'im. I remember Amber hearing the whole thing as she cried her eyes out. I remember how Cole stopped talking about 'im after his parents persisted. I even remember how Grandad started to blame 'im, lecturing me to never speak of Eleven again.

Almost everyone forgot that, if he knew it would happen, he wouldn't have let it happen.

But I guess everyone wants to point the finger at someone else for their own woes.

Didn't they remember how kind he is? How helpful he was around town? How he protected me an' saved my life? Didn't they remember the real Eleven at _all?!_

No. They didn't. An' that makes me so angry--no, _livid._

Maybe that's why no one has tried to find 'im.

...An' now _I'm_ pointing the finger. _Great._

I know the real reason why no one has tried to find 'im.

The first words that came from the captain of the knights when he showed up. I remember them, all too well.

"The Luminary is dead."

...I remember how people reacted, too.

Amber didn't take it well, bawling her eyes out. Cole did the same. An' while it may have been my imagination, Sandy whimpered at the statement.

There were those who, albeit quietly, cheered, but the knights were quick to silence them.

And me?

...I don't remember.

But I do remember that I...broke, I guess. As if something in my chest an' in my head shattered. As if something inside of me..._died._

I wonder if that, combined with my distrust, is the reason why I don't feel anything when someone dies anymore. It could also be the reason why I've been trying to use the bows some of the knights have in-secret, learning how to make arrows alongside that. It could be the reason why I stole a boomerang from one of my neighbors. It could be the reason why I've been teaching Sandy certain tricks, tricks for fighting.

Could be.

...Crikey, so much has happened. An' I _hate_ remembering it.

Because that means remembering that _Eleven's not here._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gemma's relationship with the entirety of Heliodor is basically the same as Eleven towards Hendrik when they meet at Act 2: "You expect me to trust you after all the shit you put me through?"  
Also, I like to imagine that, realistically, not everyone in Cobblestone took Eleven's side.


	2. Leaving

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He's out there, I know he is.  
An' if no one else will look for 'im, I will.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You'd be surprised to see how far one would go to accomplish their goals.  
Also, Gemma is incredibly bitter towards just about everyone now.

The Last Bastion is, truly, the last bastion.

As soon as everyone was evacuated here, we all had to work to put-up temporary housing. We had to make a makeshift campfire, since the sun was no longer showing to give us warmth. We had to start hunting more and more, since the crops were starting to fail. We had to ration what little food we had. Most of the men even had to learn how to fight so suddenly.

Not that it mattered.

Everyone knew we were all going to die here.

Every day, the monster attacks are getting more an' more severe. More knights die. More people die. We're running out of food, out of resources. It won't be long 'til there's nothing left.

Yet people keep saying to remain here an' hold onto hope. Hope? _Here?_

There _isn't_ hope here. There's only death an' untrustworthy hypocrites.

Well, there are a _few_ good things here.

Amber is still holding on, but that might be because she has nothing else. Cole is still around, but his smile has all but faded. Sandy is still my trustworthy companion, an' the only one who I can put every single drop of trust in.

An' normally, I'd be saying Eleven would fight to the bitter end.

But he's not here, is he?

No. He's not. Not that he should be. I actually hope he never looks for us an' find us here, in this dead-end ghost of our home.

But if he shouldn't look for us...

...What if we look for 'im instead?

But again, no one's doing that. Everyone thinks he's dead.

That's a lie.

He's out there. I know he is.

An' if no one else will look for 'im, I will.

* * *

No one knows about it, but I've been sneaking out constantly.

My fingers have stopped bleeding. _Finally._ Took long enough for 'em to get used to holding a bow an' making arrows. My arms are stronger too, so now I can string the bow to actually fire an arrow.

My wrist has grown accustomed to flinging the boomerang an' catching it. That's good, it'd be useful for taking out multiple monsters at once.

My hands, overall, have become rough instead of the smooth skin they once were.

I've also become much more agile, faster on my feet an' stronger in the legs.

An' strangely enough, I can use magic now. Mostly healing magic, but I'm not complaining; hafta hide the injuries from battles _somehow._

I'm not alone with these changes.

Sandy has been losing some weight due to exercise. An' by "exercise," I mean battling monsters. I've had to hide her wounds too, but 's a little difficult considering she's a dog. But she seems all-in on it. I still shower her with affection, of course, but when she smells something hostile, she's immediately in battle-mode.

An' that's perfect. All of it is.

Because tonight, we're leaving.

But I won't tell anyone a thing about it.

The knights would stop me, thinking I'd get myself killed. Amber would stop me, not wanting to lose me too. Cole would be the same way.

An' Grandad an' Granny...

...That doesn't matter now.

That being said, I'll hafta prepare quietly an' quickly, while everyone's asleep.

So now, here I am, at the gateway out of this horrible place, facing away from the path back to the Bastion.

I look down at Sandy, who is waiting patiently for my next move.

"Sandy, sit. Stay."

And she complies.

I'm proud of her, honestly, sticking it out with me to the very end. Back in the good days, she would never listen to the "Stay" part; she'd always follow either me or Eleven constantly. Now she'll follow my every command, maybe 'cos of all the monsters we've been fighting when no one was looking for me to do something worthless.

I turn away an' make the trek back up, intending to retrieve my equipment.

An' my new clothes.

I had taken the time to sew new clothes so I could actually travel in something fit to do so. I didn't wear it right away today 'cos, for some traditional reason I've forgotten about, women typically wore dresses. That, an' someone would get suspicious if they saw me in uncharacteristic clothes.

But there was no way was I leaving with a rubbish, dingy old dress.

Entering my tent quietly, I checked under my bed, making sure everything was still there.

My dirt-brown backpack--or daypack, considering what the seller told me it was--was still in the same spot I put it in before. In there, I had stuffed almost everything: the boomerang I stole earlier, my new clothes, a map I stole from a knight, treats for Sandy, food rations, a small knife that would be good for cutting food up with but not monsters, an' several herbs an' other medicines I would need. My hunting bow was lying on-top of the bag, still in its sheath, which I would wear in-between my back an' my bag. The quiver of my 20 arrows (most of them I made) an' the belt pouch of gold I collected from monsters were completely separate, connected to a brown belt I intended to wear.

Grabbing them slowly an' standing up, I looked over at my Grandad an' Granny, sleeping soundly. They looked...peaceful. They're going to miss me, I know it. Plenty of people will miss me.

But very few miss Eleven.

So why should I miss any of them?

Holding back a huff, I silently left the tent, being careful to not wake anyone within any of the other tents.

Next thing I know, I'm back with Sandy, who was eager to greet me with her wagging tail. Thankfully, she didn't bark, an' I patted her head. "Good girl."

An' now...I change.

Dropping my dirty clothes onto the ground below, I quickly slip into long, teal pants that have sewed-in orange straps tied on the ankle, one each. I put on an orange top with white highlights an' black sleeves, fastening my belt over my waist in the process. Then, I put on some gray fingerless gloves, orange straps tied an' sewn onto the wrists, once each again. Finally, I tied-up my light-purple an' tan-brown hiking boots that I had bought earlier, an' while they were a little big, they were better than nothing.

I kept the headscarf on, though. Memento of my former life, I guess.

Pulling my bag over my shoulders, putting the bow in-between it an' my back, I looked down at Sandy once more, still waiting patiently. I couldn't help but smile down at her. "We're going to find 'im now."

I looked away an' walked towards the gate, stepping on my discarded garments as I did so, Sandy trailing behind.

When I finally put my hands on the closed gate, I stopped.

Memories of home--my _real_ home--flashed through my mind.

Remembering all the good days I had. The good days I shared.

Memories of Amber being the mother I never really had.

Memories of Cole being the sweetest little brother I never had.

Memories of Mum, Dad, Granny, an' Grandad taking care of me for as long as I can remember.

_Memories of Eleven._

My eyes are burning a bit. Tears? Huh. I thought I lost the ability to cry after people told me Eleven was gone.

But I know why I'm crying. Whether or not I find Eleven--and trust me, _I will_\--I know that those memories will never be relived.

Nothing will _ever_ be the same.

Shaking my head, I suppressed my pointless reflection of the past.

It's time to go.

An' so, I open the gate, an' with Sandy's exit after my own, I close it behind us.

With that simple choice, the _old_ me, the _past_ me, the _real_ me...died.

I'm all that's left now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I need a map of the DQXI world; I have no idea where she'd go first, honestly.  
Also, yes, Gemma is basically gonna be a Ranger. In this case, a mix of the DQVI Ranger and the DQIX Ranger, though I plan on mostly the latter.  
And if you want to know what exactly she's wearing, here you go: Dragon Top (without the dragon strap [as it was replaced by the belt] and with a different color pallet), Archer's Armguard, Steppe Steppers, Hiking Boots. All of these are from DQIX.


	3. Mangled

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Otherwise known as "How to NOT get Mangled in the Manglegrove."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I figured out where Gemma will go from here. To the Manglegrove!  
Also, y'know that depiction of violence warning? There's gonna be some of that this chapter, so be aware of that.

Smoke, ash, an' flames.

This is all that the Parting Place is now.

I'm used to it; this is where I did most of my training, after all. Despite the flames glowing brightly in the darkness, I got used to the occasional burns from taking the wrong step over time. So did Sandy, though she had it worse considering she never wears shoes.

Yet _another_ reason why I didn't bother wearing a dress out here.

Monsters around here an' around my entrance into the Manglegrove were mostly weak (at least to me), but they were vicious, bloodthirsty, hell-bent on killing anything that moved.

They didn't bother coming towards me anymore, though. They've seen me an' Sandy tear them apart one hundred-thousand times over, so I guess they were smart enough to move away whenever I got close. Good for both of us, then, considering I didn't want my time wasted.

Now comes the constant obstacle: the knight guarding the Manglegrove. It's always the same one, too; he was never the social butterfly. Makes me wonder about how he got the job to begin with, since knights have to work together.

_Even if it means attempting to slaughter innocents or go against a young man who happens to be the kindest person in the world._

But luckily for me, the idiot was also afraid of dogs. "Sick 'im, girl."

It didn't take long for the guard to scream an' run for the hills as soon as Sandy started barking. Sandy didn't even chase 'im for that long; monsters were already on his case, unlike the last several thousand times he's been here.

He's probably going to die or get demoted. Either way, I find it hard to care.

Eventually, after Sandy finished barking, she returned to me, happily wagging her tail. Smiling at her, I took out a small treat an' fed it to her. "Good girl, good girl."

After our little moment, I looked over at the logs blocking the way, sighing before I started to crawl underneath. Sandy started to climb over the rocks to our left to get pass, which she did so with ease. Getting back onto my feet as Sandy landed next to me, I looked over the dirty path, gloved hands curling into fists.

Here goes nothing.

* * *

I used to question why the fires here still burned brightly even after all the rain that happens here.

I don't anymore, since vicious monsters are always coming after us constantly here. An' with no light but the burning flames, there tends to be a fear factor here. At least, there _used_ to be a fear factor. Now I'm just aware of their glowing red eyes.

Most of them don't approach, knowing that Sandy an' I were much stronger. Again, good for both of us.

Navigating the place with little light was the hard part, though. I used to run into everything here, from monsters, to rocks, to trees...I could go on an' on. Nowadays, my eyes adjusted enough to see more than enough at night, but there are some details I still miss. There was also the terrain. Constantly soaked soil an' mud wasn't great for moving quickly or stealthily.

An' the climbing! Climbing up an' down some of the taller rocks an' vines was easy for me, but Sandy had trouble with the rocks sometimes. An' as for the vines we hafta deal with now?

Well, we did pretty well, albeit the whole scenario of the first time was a bit...silly.

First time around, the weaker monsters were down below, so we didn't hafta worry about getting attacked. I went first, the vine still damp with rainwater. For Sandy, I backed-up slightly, turned an' laid facedown, requesting she land on my bag.

She landed in the bush right next to me instead. A bush I didn't see.

At least she landed safely.

So as we recuperated, we continued to move forward, the "vicious" monsters cowering away in fear.

Going further down a grassy trail (which was, luckily, _not_ _on_ _fire_), we continued, though this time a Lips approached us, eyes all red. It tried to lick me with its sloppy tongue, but I dodged an' ordered Sandy to go for one of the eye stalks. She leapt at the monster, fanged jaw wide-open, an' closed it shut around the stalk, shortly afterwards ripping it off.

As the monster screamed an' writhed as Sandy continued with the second eye stalk, I walked forward, pulling out an arrow but not my bow. By this point, Sandy had managed to pin the creature to the ground, the Lips missing parts of itself as Sandy began to spit out bloody chunks of the thing. Its heart was still beating, so I decided to thrust my lone arrow right where it counted.

Soon afterwards, it dissipated like all monsters do, leaving nothing behind.

I looked over to Sandy, who's inner mouth was mostly clean of the blood despite her jaw remaining soaked. I couldn't help but think back to the past again. She wouldn't have so easily maimed anything or anyone. Sure, she would get playfully aggressive, but never like this.

But she's wagging her tail, giving me the dog's equivalent of a smile.

She's happy.

I'm happy too, somehow.

_I wonder if Eleven would be happy._

I shook my head when that thought popped up. I can cross that bridge when I get there.

After replacing my blood-soaked arrow an' giving Sandy a good pet as a reward, we started our trek again, only to find another cliffside. But I could see different monsters down there. They weren't vicious, but they _did_ look strong. There was a living, red flower that seemed to have a toothy mouth that I could tell, an' I also saw a very tall, blue, an' muscular thing that was turned away from the cliff. Probably should avoid the latter when possible.

We decided to follow the dirt path that went further-in, only to find a decaying, broken bridge. Crossing that was a no-no.

So we had to jump down again, me using the vine an' Sandy landing in a safe bush. She gets really lucky with those.

But as soon as we got down, we were attacked.

The flower monster I saw began to charge at me, mouth open wide an' dripping with drool. I jumped out of the way, Sandy trying to bite one of its orange...vines? Oh, who cares? Anyways, I pulled out my bow an' the previously mentioned bloody arrow, shouting to have it look over at me. But before it did, I heard a yelp and a pink mist consume whatever was next to it.

Sandy.

In a rage, I shot the arrow into the mouth as soon as it turned around, causing it to scream in agony as it entered into its void. I took out another one and then...The arrow just...crystalized? Is that the right word? Well, regardless, it turned into a giant, crystal arrow that I fired into the mouth again.

It didn't just go in; it went straight through.

As the man-eating flower vanished, I ran up to an unconscious Sandy, fearing I was going to lose yet another loved one. I panicked a bit before checking for injuries. She was fine, except she was asleep.

Sighing, I shook her awake an' with a yawn, she responded to my movement, an' while I was relieved she wasn't dead, I was pretty confused. Why was she sleeping?

It took me a moment to connect the dots to the pink mist I saw consuming her earlier. That must've been it. So the flowers can produce a sleeping gas? Who would've thought?

That's when I remembered; there was a blue creature nearby.

A loud thud was all I needed to hear before Sandy an' I got to our feet, ready to fight again. I'll admit, I was somewhat intimidated. The monster was muscular, carrying around a large club that looked like it used to be a tree. It had sharp nails, sharp teeth, an' was considerably taller than us.

That didn't stop me from immediately shooting an arrow into its one eye. But that was a mistake, because while the arrow made its mark, the giant began to scream an' swing its weapon violently. Sandy jumped back, but I wasn't so lucky, getting smacked onto the ground. I winced at the pain, closing my eyes for a moment, but I began to notice the thuds getting farther away. An' then more screaming from various monsters.

Great. Now _everyone's_ on a rampage.

I got up, quickly using Midheal to treat the injury I sustained as Sandy ran to me, whimpering. I knelt down, holding her head slightly. "Don't worry, Sandy. I'm okay."

_At least physically._

We looked over at the panicking monsters, the man-eating flowers being sent flying by the few blue folks that were here, trying to stop their injured friend from breaking everything in the area, which probably meant that this was their home. I suppressed the urge to laugh. The whole scenario was silly to look at.

Although I wanted to finish the job, I knew for a fact that we wouldn't be able to fight everything here, so we avoided the flung monsters an' snuck by the giants. When we finally got to the other side of the area, there was yet another rock cliff to climb up, much to Sandy's dismay. I climbed up the cliffs while Sandy had to carefully trek up the jagged rocks on the sides.

We eventually got to the top, seeing the weaker monsters again, an' I couldn't help but be relieved. I was tired, an' I could tell Sandy was too.

But where to camp? I remember being told by a stranger in the Last Bastion that there were these "Goddess Statues" that warded away monsters, providing excellent camp areas for travelers. But I didn't see anything, not right away.

As if she had be reading my mind, Sandy barked an' ran off, turning around to make sure I was following her. I didn't understand to what until I saw a abandoned cabin next to a white angel statue.

I guess that's a Goddess Statue.

So there, the two of us decided to sit there, an' I got a fire going.

I managed to salvage a meal for us to eat through hunting the few wildlife that wasn't monsters (though I did resort to some monster meat later), but it wasn't enough to completely fill us up. Which makes sense, due to the condition of the world at the moment; not much food to go around.

...Huh. I just now realized that the rain stopped. That explains how I got the fire going. Can't believe I didn't even think about that. I was so focused on other things I didn't notice the details. I also realized that I have no idea what the time of day is; 's too dark to tell anymore.

You realize a lot of things when you're alone with your thoughts, I guess.

...Crikey, I'm tired. I should at least rest my eyes; I have things t'do tomorrow...

...

...

...

...I can't sleep. Or maybe I did an' it doesn't feel like it due to the lack of light. Regardless, Sandy an' I ate a bit more of what we had left from before (not great, I know, but there wasn't much I could do about it), soon afterwards gathering our bearings before continuing.

I saw two different paths as we walked again, monsters fleeing from us. One was rather wide, the other narrow. An' if the crude map I stole was any indication, the wide path lead to..._Heliodor._

Narrow it is.

It was a surprisingly peaceful, walking along a trail, walls on both sides to secure you from anyone popping out from a bush or tree. Even if it was dark, it was comforting, quiet, relaxing.

It didn't take long to find a rickety wooden bridge leading from the newfound cliffside to the next one over, an' under it was a chasm that, even with water flowing below it, would kill me if I fell down.

Sandy ran ahead without me saying anything, knowing that we were both going to cross anyways. I didn't like how the bridge creaked under Sandy's paws, though. If this bridge could barely hold a dog...

..._NO._ I won't let this hold me back after all I've already done. No way, no how.

An' so I took a very light first step, wincing as I heard the bridge creak loudly once again.

Second step, going onto the next board. Creaking.

_Move faster._

Third. Creaking.

_Sandy's barking loud._

Fourth. Creaking.

_Bridge is going down._

Fifth. Crack.

_RUN._

Six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen, more an' more an' more an' more.

Crack, break, creak, crack, break, creak, crack, break, _SNAP!_

I had to jump to the other side to make sure I didn't go down with the bridge, landing on my chest as I made it across. Sandy's barking finally stopped, whimpering for a bit before I stood up gingerly. I looked behind me.

The bridge was gone.

_...Whoops._

I sighed in relief, knowing how close I was to dying, so early on. Nobody would've know where I went, or why I left. Now they'll never know.

Because, even if I wanted to, I can't go back anymore.

I gave Sandy a nod, an' we kept moving forward onto the path we've chosen.

It was the only way _to_ go, after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gemma has learned: Bow Skill Needle Shot!  
And if you're curious, she's probably Level 34 by the end of this chapter.  
If you want to hear about what skills and spells she has total, feel free to ask and I'll put it in the end notes here and from here on out!  
...Also I can't write actions scenes for the life of me lmao.


	4. Frustration

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I need to focus on the present, not the past.  
But that's hard t'do if the past is all that drives you.  
An' that only makes me angrier.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about not updating in a bit! College is starting up, and I'm getting overly stressed about it. That, and I had no idea where Gemma would've gone; Mount Pang Lai or Champs Sauvage.  
Also, big warning to violence again!

It's been some time since I've seen new sights.

Not counting the area of the Manglegrove I first entered, I never really saw anything outside of Cobblestone an' Heliodor. I got a glimpse of everything on the Top of the Tor, but never actually went--

_The Tor._ Ha. That was a strange day, wasn't it? The day that would end up--

_No. Focus. Don't think about that now._

The trail was thin for a while before we came across a clearing, the path diverging into two. One to the left, which lead to an open field, an' one to the right, which looked like it went up a mountain. Sandy sniffed the air for any monsters an', sure enough, she turned to the left, growling loudly.

I turned to what she was facing, only to quickly move as an arrow flew past my head. Taking out my own arrow, I shot back, impaling the monster's head, instantly killing it. I then heard a strange sound of something collapsing to my right, an' as I turned again, Sandy was gnawing on a leftover bone of a skeleton monster that had been holding multiple swords.

That was...easy.

I gave Sandy a good pet as she wagged her tail playfully, still holding a bone in her mouth. She wanted to play. I thought for a bit, realizing this, an' decided to take the bone away, putting it in my bag. "Some other time, Sandy."

For a moment, I heard a disappointed whimper, but she perked up when I started petting her again. She loved attention, an' she loved to play.

_I wonder if she loved fighting, too._

Giving myself yet another mental slap in the face, I decided that, maybe, since we're used to more mountain-like areas, that we should go right first. Who knows? Maybe Eleven went up there to...hide away or something, maybe to wait things out until he could recover from whatever happened to 'im.

An' that "whatever" is _not_ death. I know that much.

As we turn to the right, I see what looks to be a stone gate of sorts, but when I thought "gate," I thought there would at least be a door. But no, it was just a border of a gate an' absolutely no door where there should've been. What's the point of a gate if you're not going to make it secure?

Groaning aloud at the stupidity of whoever made the gate, we simply walked through it, looking onwards to what looked to be a hiking trail of sorts. That's welcoming, honestly; hiking's familiar to me. It's something I did back at the Tor wi--

_Focus._

I gave Sandy a brief smile before we started our journey up, internally praying to find any sort of clue of our friend's whereabouts.

It was calm, for a bit. The slope of the trail wasn't even all that bad. But I'm sure that, as we go up the mountain, it will get worse.

It'll get colder, too, I realized. Maybe I should've sewn something warmer to wear before I left ho--the bastion. Maybe layers of cloth or even cotton to make a jacket. Too late for that n--

All of my thoughts stopped as soon as I saw the waterfall.

Crikey, it was so _tall._

An' if it weren't for all this darkness, it would look beautiful, I reckon. Maybe when it gets bright again I can come back to look at it. It would be even better if I got Eleven to see it, too.

But I need to find 'im first.

Hearing Sandy growl to my left, I turn to see three monsters, each holding a sword an' each having a shield an' armor. Finally, some common sense among the creatures. They seemed to be orange in color, an' were close to my height but not quite there.

But their _smile._ Why? Why are they smiling?

Before I could question further, one of them approached me an' slashed at my right leg. I jumped back enough so my leg wasn't severed, but not enough for it to cut through my clothes an' slash my thigh. Wincing at the sting, I took an arrow out an' jabbed at the thing several times in the head when it tried approaching again. Blood was now drenching my arrow, my right hand, an' a bit of my shirt as well. An' soon, it fell dead, its sword and armor disappearing with it.

But even as it died, it was _still_ smiling. Why didn't it _stop_ smiling?

I heard a yelp, breaking my thoughts, an' I looked forward on the trail just in time to see a slightly bloody Sandy get slashed in the side by the second monster, the third one in the process of disappearing.

The dying one was smiling, too. _Why?_

I pulled out my bow, taking aim with my bloody arrow carefully before letting go, missing Sandy an' getting the monster in the ear. It turned towards me.

_Smiling. Always smiling._

Wanting to conserve my arrows, I quickly put my bow away an' instead took out my boomerang, while Sandy kept attacking it in the meantime. When I finally took out my boomerang, Sandy wasn't in great shape, whimpering as the monster closed-in.

_Smiling._

"Oi!"

It turned to me, ignoring Sandy.

_Still. Smiling._

I threw the boomerang, hitting it square in the face, watching it flinch as I caught it afterwards. It began to charge at me.

_STILL. SMILING._

"STOP SMILING!"

With that, I too charged at it, deciding just throwing the boomerang was no longer ideal. Ignoring the fact that the sword sliced my left knee, I bashed its head with my weapon, knocking it over.

An' I kept bashing. Over an' over an' over an' over an' over an' over an'--

A whimpering Sandy finally took me out of my trance.

I was hitting the now-bloody ground. The monster was gone.

I took several deep breaths, the pain in my leg an' knee finally catching up to me. Remembering that Sandy was injured too, I casted Midheal on the both of us.

...To this day, I still wonder how these spells mend an' clean clothes while also healing the body.

I got to my feet, dusting myself off after putting my boomerang away. Turning to Sandy, who was now her normal self, I gave a weak smile, but I knew for a fact that it was fake.

...I'm quite the hypocrite, eh?

Shaking my head, we continued the trek up the trail, trying to ignore what I had been doing a moment ago.

But it wasn't long before three pink monsters with staves appeared. They didn't look all that strong, honestly, though Sandy was still growling.

As for me? I was just angry. I took out my boomerang an' decided to try out something I've been meaning to try for a while.

"Power Throw!"

As I shouted this, my boomerang began to glow brightly with a golden light, an' I gave it my all into throwing the powered-up weapon.

The monsters didn't stand a chance, all of them getting knocked over an' disappearing without a trace. Sandy was barking at this point, but it seemed more like a jolly one, watching the spectacle.

I was just dumbstruck. I knew this was a thing with experienced users, but I never thought I'd be able to do it. "...Cor blimey..."

For a moment, my frustration was gone, replaced by amazement. Same with Sandy.

_...Would Eleven be amazed?_

_Focus, Gemma. FOCUS._

Sighing as I put my weapon away, I gave Sandy a wave to follow, getting further up the trail, which was now quiet. It helps when, at the end of it, there was a Goddess Statue an' a place to camp as well. But there was also a pathway that went into the mountain.

"Sandy, stay." As she obliged, I decided to check the path...

...Only to find it mostly caved-in, save for the bottom, but only I would be able to crawl through it. Sandy wouldn't be able to get through.

...I came all the way up here just to find that we can't get any further than this?!

I think I heard a scream when that thought hit my mind. It was probably me, 'cos when I walked out, I heard Sandy whimpering again. Seeing this, I knelt to pet her again, knowing that we both needed the comfort. I looked out over the horizon, everything still incredibly dark.

...The view of a sunrise or sunset would be wonderful here.

I sighed, getting that hopeless thought out of my head, an' decided to camp for the time being. We were both exhausted, I was furious, an' we made no progress in our search.

Giving Sandy her ration of food, I simply fell on my back, fire still going an' my eyes up to the cloudy sky.

My eyes were tired, but they also burned. Burning with tears. Again.

I wonder what would happen if Eleven saw me today.

I wonder what he'd think of me.

I wonder what happened to 'im.

_I wonder what happened to me._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gemma's not okay. Not in the slightest.  
Hey, you'd be angry too if you realized that you worked so hard to get somewhere only for it to be all for nothing.


	5. Bandits

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> People are scum now. Not that I'm any better. Not anymore.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again! Sorry for inactivity! College + Procrastination + Making Things Up On the Fly = No Progress. But that makes sense for most of us, considering school is probably going on for most folks.  
I'll update when I can, and when I'm destressed enough at the time. Thank you for your patience!

Light.

That was the first thing that my eyes met when I opened them. Which wasn't great, since I was much more used to the darkness that surrounded me back at the Last Bastion. On instinct, I closed my eyes again. Blimmin' sun, trying to blind me!

It took me a minute to realize that it was the _sun. Light._

Something I hadn't seen in _months._

I shot-up from my sleeping position, ignoring the dizzying feeling from going too fast, an' looked out on the horizon to see if it was the same elsewhere.

...No, the Manglegrove was still shaded, and there's still dark clouds over it. So maybe it's limited to over there?

An' there wasn't actually any real sun; there were still clouds, but they were light enough to not shroud the whole area in nighttime like over in Heliodor.

Well, I guess I should be grateful for what I've got, knowing that I could at least tell what time of day it is now. Though I guess that probably meant everyone else over in the Bastion is under darkness.

I almost feel bad. Almost.

Shaking my head, I start cleaning up the site an' went to wake Sandy. There was no time to be standing around looking at the view.

We had some searching t'do.

* * *

The trek down the mountain was easy enough, so was the small area between the trail an' the now-broken trail to the Manglegrove.

But I'd've been lying if I said I wasn't worried about the plains that stood before us.

It almost reminded me of the Parting Place, except it wasn't on-fire, no ruins anywhere, an' it wasn't dark. Monsters roamed about, though, but considering how Sandy an' I dealt with a few earlier last time, they won't be a challenge.

So really, I was only worried on where to go next. It was all so...expansive!

Over to my left, I could barely see a shoreline. At the front, more plains. An' to my right, in the distance, I saw a pathway past all the trees that obscured the view.

Well, I know which way I'm going.

Ignoring the monsters, Sandy an' I began our little trek, using the trees as cover in-case a monster tried to sneak-up on us. During this time, I decided to pick-up some branches; never know when I might need to make more arrows, after all.

I caught a glance of a Goddess Statue as soon as we got out of the trees, but before I could do anything, I heard Sandy barking to my left. I dropped the branches I had, took out my bow an' loaded it with an arrow, preparing to fire.

...I expected monsters, not people. Especially not five people with hoods an' knives.

They suddenly split-up, two moving to my left, the other two to my right. I, on instinct, fired my arrow at the one who didn't move, but my aim was off an' I missed. Sandy dashed from my side to my right, an' I heard one of them shout, "Get this dog outta here!"

Before I could turn to my friend, I was grabbed by the arm, dropping my bow, an' the next thing I knew I was being held against one of them, a knife to my throat.

"Idiot! You're blocking the bag, I can't reach into it!"

"Oi! I'm tryin' me best!"

"This damn dog won't stop biting me!"

"Then kill it!"

They're bandits.

The world really has been destroyed, hasn't it?

Sandy continued to dodge the attacks of the two bandits after her, while the third bandit closed-in.

_No._

He was going to kill her.

I struggled as my holders began to shuffle through my bag, still over my shoulders as the steel knife remained still on my neck. "Quit moving," one of them started, "or this knife's gonna slice ya."

_No no NO._

The third bandit closing-in on Sandy got closer. An' closer. An'--

"NO!"

An' then everything was purple.

"Oi!" The third bandit shouted, "The 'ell's all this gas?!"

Gas? Purple gas?

The knife on my neck was dropped as well as the grip on my arms, allowing me to rip my bag away from them an' grab my bow.

An' then the coughing.

"Can't...breathe!"

"She _*hack*_ can use Venom Mist?!"

Oh. Another spell. An' 's for offense.

_Perfect._

Sandy went to work as I turned back to my holders, taking out an arrow an' sticking it into the neck of the closest one. The other tried to run but stumbled, just in time so I could take my arrow out of the first one's neck an' shoot it through his head. He was dead before he hit the ground.

There was screaming behind me which I had ignored earlier, but turning around I saw one bandit running out of the haze an' down the path I intended to follow, bleeding from the leg. Another was dead on the ground, bite marks everywhere an' his left arm halfway off, as if it were being torn off. As for the third one? Sandy was still on top of 'im, biting 'im like a mad fool as he screamed for mercy.

The mist clearing, I gave a whistle to Sandy, who understood an' halted her assault to run to me. The man she was attacking before just lay there, screaming and sobbing as he bled onto the grass.

I sighed, picking up one of the branches I had earlier, walking towards the dying man. Knealing down to 'im, I raised the sharp branch above my head, intending to finish the job.

"NO!" He began to scream, "Please, I-I can change! H-Help me a-and I won't ever st-steal a-again!"

I looked at 'im, at how bloody he was, an' finally sighed, casting Heal on 'im; enough to heal his more serious wounds, but not enough to heal most of the scratches. He scrambled backwards, trying to get far from where I remained. Sandy growled, but didn't move. Good girl.

A sharp glare left my eyes, piercing the bandit.

"...Try anything like this again an' I will _maul you alive."_

"Y-yes ma'am!" He ran off to the path I intended to go on, which meant they came from there.

Which also meant there was a civilization ahead.

Which also meant they lived there an' had friends--an' maybe family--to feed.

I just murdered three people who were only trying to survive.

I went deadly quiet after that, picking up my belongings an' branches (an' the arrow that had missed earlier) an' stumbled towards the nearby Goddess Statue, revealing a campsite.

I just dropped everything. My bag, my bow, my branches, my body.

I looked over at Sandy, who was now looking at me with her bloody jaw, happy as could be.

_What have I done to her?_

I looked over at the trees, where the potentially innocent, starving, an' dead bandits now lay.

_What have I done to them?_

Then I looked at myself, at how dirty I was, at how I changed, at how I've killed.

_What have I done to myself?_

I can't take any of it back, I can't go any further down this path, I can't be like this.

_I can't have Eleven see us like this._

That night, I didn't sleep; I just made more arrows.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gemma has learned: Venom Mist!
> 
> If you noticed it, I've been writing some strange spellings because I'd like to think that's part of Cobblestone dialect. It was also inspired by other fics in which the Luminary talks in that way as well.  
Someone made fanart of my fic! Here's the link! Don't worry, they linked it to my fic. https://moinstar.tumblr.com/post/187212109865/gemma-the-huntress-by-toughaqua777-ao3-link
> 
> Anyways, hope you enjoyed this chapter!


	6. Travel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A part of me wishes that maps updated as time goes on. But I can make-do.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SUPRISE! I'm not dead! Yeah, I know, it's been a while, but college is busy, I've been lazy, yadda yadda yadda.  
But now, I'm back after...oh geez, how long has it been? Oh well, time for a new chapter!

_**"It's all his fault!"** Not true._

_**"I knew he was no good!"** No you didn't._

_**"Darkspawn indeed!"** He has a name._

_**"It's 'cos he was born!"** How would you know that?_

_**"We should've killed 'im!"** What's wrong with you?!_

_**"Never speak of 'im again, Cole!"** Leave Cole out of this!_

_**"Gemma..."** Grandad...?_

** _"He's a monster. Let 'im die."_ **

_You're wrong! You're all wrong!_

_**"Hahahahaha!"** That laugh...!_

_No...No! Not 'im! NO! NO NO NO NO NO N--_

** _"Kill them all!"_ **

* * *

A gasp escaped me as my eyes shot open from sleep.

Sleep? When did I fall asleep?

Well, doesn't matter now. I'm certainly not sleeping again, even if dawn hasn't broken yet. Not after what I just saw.

_Not that I haven't seen it before._

Sighing, I slowly an' stiffly sat upright from my position, looking around the camp area. Sandy was sound asleep, thankfully, an' my equipment was still here, so that meant no bandit came by. My newly made arrows looked fine at first, but I guess I must've passed out in the middle of one of them, that one being halfway finished.

Not that I cared; I have more than enough now.

But I don't have a lot of water.

Getting on my feet, I looked over to the well near the campsite an' walked over, being careful not to wake Sandy in the process. Looking into the well, I see that there's water, but not a lot an' likely not the cleanest.

It's the best supply we got, though.

I pulled on the rope to get the pail up, grimacing as I saw the mildly muddy contents. But what was I supposed to do, dehydrate? I might as well have at least a sip, just enough to get me going.

As soon as it touched my tongue, I immediately regretted my decision, gagging at the stagnant taste. I closed my eyes an' forced myself to swallow, nearly spitting out the contents of my stomach when I had enough. I let the pail go back down into the well, intending to get more for Sandy.

On that note, Sandy had woken up to my noises, an' was sitting patiently by my side, as if she new what I was thinking. Pulling the pail back up, I pulled it to her slightly, giving her enough of a reach to drink an' lick.

At least she didn't mind the taste. I think.

I let the pail drop down into the well, an echoed _'splash'_ coming from the bottom as we walked back to the center, eating our rations after we sat down. But as we ate, my memories of yesterday flashed through my mind. The path I intended to take was where those bandits came from.

So I guess I'm going the other way.

Once we were done, I put the new arrows into my quiver an' got packed up, whistling at Sandy to follow.

But as we got farther away from the site, a six-armed skeleton with swords jumped in-front of us.

I immediately shot an arrow, but the thing sliced it clean before it got close. It was then that it started glowing an' gesturing as I called Sandy to move behind it.

Out of nowhere, I felt as though my physical defenses were stripped away from me as I started to glow the color that the monster was previously. Trying to shake off the feeling, I was too distracted as it lunged at me, all six swords aimed to strike.

Before I could be shredded, Sandy bit its leg, disconnecting it from its main body as it crumbled down. As it tried to stand, Sandy began to tear the arms off one at a time.

I took the moment to walk over an' repeatedly stomp on its skull, cracking an' bashing it in while Sandy continued to tear at it.

Before we knew it, the monster was nothing but scattered bones as the now shattered skull faded.

I couldn't help but smirk. _That's what you get._

We encountered a few more of those skeleton swordsman (I wonder if that's their name?) as we went along, following the map carefully. There should be an entrance up ahea--

_Rocks are blocking the path?!_

I held back a scream in favor of a long groan, putting a hand to my face. Maybe I should've tried to find an up-to-date map.

But now I'm starting to wonder if Sandy has a sixth sense, 'cos she started running off to my left, down to the beach. She turned to bark at me, beckoning me to follow, which I proceeded t'do. There were a few small, squid-like monsters in the way, but a single throw from my boomerang took them out in one hit, so it wasn't interesting.

I was more interested in what Sandy led me into.

There was a slightly flooded cave with glowing blue mushrooms all over its walls just barely off the coast, water going as low as to my ankles.

It was _beautiful._

I couldn't help but slow down an' admire the walk through it, mesmerized by the strange fungi.

A small giggle left me, a genuine smile on my face. I wish there was some way to put this sight on a sketchbook somehow, that way I could show everyone this place! They'd love to see th--

Oh. Right.

I forgot I couldn't go back.

I forgot about the hypocrites.

_I forgot Eleven's not there._

The smile faded.

My eyes are burning again. I need to stop that.

Sandy's barking refocused my mind, me only halfway through the cave while she was waiting at the other end.

I jogged to her, trying to force myself away from my train of thought. "Sorry, Sandy. I was...distracted."

She's wagging her tail expectantly, as if she wanted to know where to go next. I took out the map again, looking it over, being helped by the coming sunrise.

"Hmm...there's a place called Puerto Valor. Looks like a town of sorts. I reckon we should go there."

Sandy barked in response, still wagging her tail happily. I smiled again, bending over slightly to pet her.

Then we heard footsteps. Large, loud ones.

We hid back in the cave, though I peeked out the exit to find another one of those blue giants.

"Not again..." I muttered, shaking my head. "We should sneak by."

An' sneak by we did, thankfully; it looked distracted by the small squid monsters on the beach, eating a few of them as they scattered.

We continued through the grassy area, seemingly clear of monsters as we walked on the path. Which was sur--

What was that noise?

_...Metal?_

A blast of cold air at my right suddenly had my arm go numb as I retreated back. Turning to the source, I found what would've been a normal looking girl...except for the cage it had revealed underneath its red-dressed torso. Its skin was also a ghostly pale, eyes lacking pupils.

Before I could react any further, it grabbed Sandy, opened its cage, an' threw her in, Sandy barking the whole time.

"Why you--!" I took out my bow an' an arrow an' fired, aiming for the head. Missing, it tried to swipe at me, but I was able to sidestep out of the way. With my arrow out of my hand, I instead decided to throw my boomerang as a distraction, shortly afterwards grabbing another arrow to fire.

It worked, thankfully, as I hit the monster in the eye, an' as it flailed, the cage opened, allowing Sandy to escape.

Then a loud SNAP filled my ears. As Sandy was about to pounce on the monster, I noticed its hand gripping something.

My boomerang. It caught it.

An' it was now shattered.

Sandy leapt on the monster's face, knocking it over, blocking the face from my viewpoint thanks to the cage.

_'RIP'_

The monster vanished, its head completely torn off by Sandy, who was now spitting out porcelain.

I went quiet, taking out a treat and feeding it to Sandy, distracting her while I picked up what remained of my boomerang.

"Oh, crumbs..."

I dropped the pieces, a groan escaping me. Whatever. I already have a bow, no point in having two weapons that could only fight from a distance.

Internally, I was disappointed 'cos I would never be able to use Power Throw again, but I shook off the thought.

Sandy barked me over, an' I gave her a smile as we continued down the path.

Soon, thanks to the sun being mostly up by this point, we finally saw a large stone gate (which actually had a gate, I bemused) revealing a stone bridge to civilization.

I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding. It would be nice to meet up with decent people for once.

"Alright, Sandy, let's go."

An' we walked past the gate to a town unknown.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welp. There goes the boomerang. But hey, at least there's gonna be more people in the next Chapter!  
Sorry this chapter isn't too intense, I wrote this on the fly as I usually do.  
Hope you enjoyed!  
(now time to disappear for a month lmao)


	7. Hospitality

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You're either welcome when you can't care, or you're not welcome when you do.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm pretty sure y'all used to it by now; college delays, no motivation, blah blah blah. Let's just get this show on the road!

_Third Person PoV_

"Oh look: 's the 'Luminary.'"

Eleven shivered as he walked past the many tents around him. The faces he didn't recognize looked on with wariness, fearful of a new face in their one and only safe haven.

But that was better. Much better.

Better than the faces of those that he did recognize.

The glaring, the whispers, the pointing, the contempt, the hate...

The _blame._

He knew it. He knew they would do this. He knew they would blame him.

_He deserved it._

...Well, at least Mum didn't hate him. But what about Gemma?

Oh wait. Right. Mum told him that she left. She left her clothes behind, took Sandy and...

She threw herself to the monsters.

She was--

Pain shot through his right temple as he stumbled to the side, covering his head.

Pain on his back. He fell down.

Pain. Pain. Pain. Pain.

"That's enough!"

An elderly woman's voice rang out, and the pain finally stopped.

Only to be followed by screaming from an elderly man holding a large walking stick.

"IT'S YOUR FAULT! YOUR FAULT! MY GIRL'S DEAD AN' 'S ALL YOUR FAULT!!"

El rolled over and finally sat up, only to find Dunstan being pulled away by Marble.

Gemma's grandparents.

"GIVE HER BACK!! GIVE BACK MY GIRL!!!"

Some Heliodor knights finally stepped in and grabbed the frenzied elder, who dropped his stick and struggled against their grip.

"YOU SHOULD'VE DIED INSTEAD!!!"

Everything went quiet after that. But not because there was no noise.

It was because Eleven shut out every other sound as he curled up and cried.

* * *

_Gemma's PoV_

"Halt, outsider!"

I sighed as I saw what looked to be knights in no armor halt me at the stone bridge to Puerto Valor, one of them with a sword drawn. Their eyes were filled with suspicion, but they also looked exhausted, as though they've been guarding the bridge for a while now.

I heard Sandy let out a growl, to which I gestured with my hand as if to say, "Stay." She was still growling, but at least she wasn't attacking anyone.

The last thing we need is to become criminals.

The sword-wielder slowly approached. "What business do you have here?! Do you side with the monsters?!"

_...What?_

"Conrado, wait," his companion said, equally suspicious of me but clearly non-hostile, "You can't assume people side with monsters as soon as--"

"We can't take any chances, Beltran! If it happened once, it can happen again!"

"First of all, we now know those were Iron Maidens, not humans! Second--"

I sighed, exasperated, an' motioned Sandy to follow me past the two guards.

Honestly, guards are either soulless, mindless, or incompetent.

Fully crossing the bridge an' past a second gate, I looked over the stone buildings in my immediate view. They all seem so...what's the word? Fancy? Rich? Can rich be used to describe a building?

Basically, I stood out like a sore thumb.

Well, either way, we finally made it to civilization.

I wonder if Eleven's here. If he is--

A sharp, somewhat overdramatic gasp was heard to my right. Sandy is barking in that direction. I turned to find an older lady, looking at me as if she saw a corpse.

I told Sandy to sit before I glanced back up at the woman. "...What?"

My voice had a little more edge than I thought it would.

"You're red as a cherry! A-and you're arm's blue!"

A moment of silence passed before I scoffed. "Sure, an' the world isn't on fire."

"I'm serious, dear! You may be ill!"

"I feel fine, thanks."

I ignored whatever else spat out of her mouth as I, again, motioned Sandy to follow me down the coming stairs.

I only went down two of them when I started to shake.

An' I couldn't stop.

"Doctor!" I heard the woman scream, "She needs a doctor!"

Instinctively, I shouted back, "No I don't! I'm fine!"

_I have to find Eleven._

_He might be here._

_I can't slow down now._

_I--_

I keeled over the stairs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cynicism setting-in, Gemma? Also, next time, heal yourself after a battle!  
Well, I suppose it's better than what's happening back home...


	8. Fever

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I don't want to be sick. I can't be sick. I don't have time to be sick.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been a while, hasn't it? I'm sure you're used to it by now. And hey, it would be nice to get constructive criticism. Not begging for it, but I would like to see what people are thinking, y'know?

_...Where am I?_

My eyes flutter open to a pale ceiling above my head, illuminated by a mild amount of light from what I assumed to be a candle to my right. My vision was slightly tunneled, though, so I didn't bother looking anywhere else.

I did notice I was lying down on a...bed, apparently, a blanket draped over me lightly an' a pillow keeping my head up slightly. An' for some reason, I can't feel my right arm. I know 's there because I can see the blanket move when I move it, I just can't feel it, hence why I can't move it too much.

Why am I here? I shouldn't be here. I should be looking for Eleven.

I attempt to push myself up, only to lose my strength an' fall again. I tried again. I fell again. Tried again. Fell again. Again. Again.

Why can't I get up? Why am I so weak _now_, of all times?

A creaking door to my right catches my attention as I turn my head, noticing an older lady wearing what appeared to be a dusty blue nurse's outfit. In her wrinkled hand she held a few crumpled herbs along with a vial of fresh water.

Even in the somewhat dim light from the candle, she made eye contact with me an' gave a warm smile. "Oh, hello dear. I'm glad you're awake."

Normally, I would ask why I was...wherever I was, but I couldn't bring myself to speak. I just...couldn't find it in myself to interact.

She looked like she was about to ask a question when I heard growling from next to my bed. I shifted slightly to look down over the edge of the bed.

It was Sandy, curled up but looking up at the senior, growling, but not loudly. More of a cautious growl instead of a hostile one, if that makes any sense.

"Down, Sandy." My throat is dry. Maybe that's why I didn't want to talk.

Sandy's growls lighten slightly, an' she puts her head back down as the nurse approaches.

As she gets closer, the candle illuminating her face, I realize something:

This was the lady who claimed my arm was blue.

Before I could judge what this meant for me, she put down her items an' placed a hand on my forehead. "Hmm...fever isn't too high, but it's still there..."

Fever? A _fever?!_

I couldn't react before she removed her hand to grab the herbs she brought with her, looking back at me. "Miss, are you able to move your arms?"

I knew what was going on with my right arm, so I moved my left from out of the blankets, shivering at the sudden loss of heat. On instinct, I opened my hand to take the herbs, an' thankfully she got the hint.

Without another word, I popped them into my mouth, wincing at the bitter taste as I chewed an' swallowed.

The lady must've seen my expression, because she quickly but wordlessly offered me the water she brought, which I promptly took an' gulped down.

Once that was done, I moved my arm back under the sheets an' turned my body away, hiding my face.

"May I please have your name?"

_No. But I don't think I have a real choice in the matter._

"...Gemma."

"Gemma...I see. If you're wondering where you a--"

"Let me sleep." _Leave me alone._

Silence filled a room for only a minute, but it felt like hours.

"...I see. W-well, Miss Gemma, if you need me, simply call for Brisha. I'll be on your way."

Footsteps...

Door closing.

...A fever? I don't have time to be sick. Eleven's in trouble somewhere, I know it.

I have to find him, an' I can't let this stop me!

One more time. I should try to get up one more time.

One, two...

Ah...I feel...dizzy...

...

...

...

* * *

_A grassy meadow. A quiet place._

_A lone woman, fishing from a rooftop._

_I sit with her, confused an' alone._

_An' yet she smiles._

_I ask, "Why do you smile?"_

_She says, "Your determination is strong."_

_"I need it to be, I search for someone dear to me."_

_"Then you must remain where you are, and be patient."_

_"I cannot, you see. Be patient, I mean."_

_"But if you don't take a break, you will never find him."_

_It's silent for a while, but soon she speaks again._

_"Fish with me, child, and wait."_

_So I pick up a rod, yet I catch no fish._

_Ah right, be patient, she said._

_So I wait, and I wait._

_An' I wait some more._

_A tug on the line._

_Eleven? Is that you?_

_I reel it in._

_I found who I'm looking for._

* * *

...Why do I feel so calm?

I flutter my eyes open, finding myself lying very close to the wall beside me an' feeling a large, yet familiar warmth to my right.

A simple glance was all it took for me to smile a bit.

Ah Sandy, never change.

I start to sit up, slowly, of course, but soon realize that I don't feel nearly as weak as before.

The blanket fell from me, thankfully I was still clothed, but my right arm was wrapped in bandages.

...Maybe it really was blue. Maybe from ice?

_The Iron Maiden._

_Ohhhhhh..._

I mentally facepalm, remembering that I didn't actually heal myself when I was blasted by the cold air, groaning at my idiocy.

That groan ended up waking my sleeping Sandy...

...Who immediately pounced on me.

She started to lick my face, happy to see me up, as though I had been sleeping for days.

...Actually...

I stretch slightly, my stomach growling shortly afterwards.

Oh, that _better_ not mean I haven't eaten in days. This can't be what being patient meant, unless it meant rest.

Wait--why did I think of that?

...Oh, right, that fishing woman. Who was that, anyway?

I shake my head, pushing the question to the side. I'll figure it out later. For now, as I move out of bed an' gather my things...

It's time to find out what I missed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fever's suck. I remember getting one in my senior year that was, oh geez, 103 F or something? I was stuck in bed for a week. And for someone who can't sit still all day lest I go apeshit...yeah.  
On another note, I think we all know who that woman was...


	9. FIC UPDATE (not actual chapter, plz read)

Hey folks, sorry for the lack of updates on this fic. I wasn't sure how to put this into words on this site. But for those on the SoS Discord channel, you probably already know what this is about.

Until further notice, this fic is going on an indefinite hiatus.

I'm not going to delete this; I'm actually proud of this AU fic. And trust me, I _want _to continue this fic. But at the moment, I don't think that's gonna happen.

As for why I'm leaving this fic be, it's because of my hyperfixation problem. At the beginning of this fic, I was super into the DQXI fandom. Now, though? Not so much. I'm still in the fandom, but I'm not _invested_ in it, if that makes any sense.

Don't get me wrong, I'm still gonna write stuff, but for the time being, I'm probably gonna stick to one-shots. They may or may not be DQXI-related, but I wouldn't count on it.

Again, until further notice, this fic is on an indefinite hiatus.

I'm sorry if I potentially let anyone down, but this is something I've been thinking about for a while, and I think this is my best course of action.

I hope you understand.

Until then, I'll see you again.


End file.
